Category: Earthquake Field Reports

This post is part of a series called 2014 Liberia Earthquake Journals
Liberia, April 28, 2014
It’s 9:30 am on a Monday and our second day in Liberia. We are here on a weeklong mission to advise the Government of Liberia on low-income housing construction.
Cojolo, our tall guide/guard and the Protocol Officer at the Ministry of Finance, waited for us for more than 30 minutes now in the lobby. I was concerned about his mood. He greeted me with a straight face and pointed at his watch. I swiftly ran into the breakfast room to fetch a cup of…

This post is part of a series called 2014 Liberia Earthquake Journals
MONROVIA, Liberia–As I descended the steps of the plane after 27 hours of a hellish ride from California, the African heat and humidity mixed with the smell of burning gas bombarded me. It was a vivid welcome to Liberia, a country in West Africa that’s home to 4 million people. The lush green jungle that framed the airport and the insect noises vibrating through the air overwhelmed me.
In November 2013, we received a letter from Liberia’s Minister of Finance, Mr. Amara Konneh, of the Republic of Liberia.…

This post is part of a series called Miyamoto in Haiti
When Structural Engineering Students for Humanity (SESH) decided that Haiti was to be the destination of our summer 2014 trip, we were often given a warning: “You will either love Haiti or you will hate it.” I am happy to report that after spending two weeks in a country that I never thought I would visit, I cannot wait to plan my return.The love that Haitian people have for their county is truly contagious. Despite the hardships they have faced, they firmly believe that Haiti is capable of achieving…

This post is part of a series called Miyamoto in Haiti
As a structural engineering student travelling to Haiti with a small group of fellow students (SESH), I intended to apply my knowledge of structures in a way that would develop communities and directly benefit people. During my brief, yet eventful, 10-day visit, I encountered the reality, obstacles, and successes of a nation susceptible to devastating natural disasters.
As a foreign volunteer group seeking to aid a society distressed by an earthquake, I realized we are not alone in this endeavor; many non-profit organizations have made their way to Haiti…

This post is part of a series called Miyamoto in Haiti
In collaboration with UNICEF and the Haiti Ministry of Education, Miyamoto International has engineered and is managing the construction of 14 school campuses in Haiti. These schools are located in extremely remote areas where we’re using innovative steel-frame systems, the first of their kind produced and constructed by Haitian contractors. These systems make it easy rebuild quake-damaged or destroyed schools more quickly while maintaining the highest degree of quality control.…

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As CEO of the structural engineering company Miyamoto International, Kit is dedicated to making the world a better place. In Kit's words: our responsibility as engineers is to make buildings safer by sharing what we know around the world. Join his journey to make the world a better, safer place.